February 2010 Archives

"A year of cloudy economic news proved to have at least one bright spot: the rapid growth of Puget Sound Energy customers connecting their home or small business solar systems to the utility grid.

In 2009, nearly 200 PSE customers installed solar systems, making it the fastest-growing year ever for local renewable energy from the sun. The growth raises the total number of grid-connected solar systems to 516 – up from only 100 solar power systems that were online with PSE in early 2007.

Thurston County residents installed 50 solar generator units this year, with another 16 put in by PSE customers in Pierce County.
'Solar works in Washington and our customers are proving that each time a new array goes online,' said Cal Shirley, vice president of energy efficiency Services for PSE. He also credits elected officials' leadership in boosting the federal and state incentives for solar power.

In October 2008, Congress removed a previous cap of $2,000 on federal tax credits for home solar installations, with homeowners now eligible to receive a full 30-percent credit for their investment.

A second key incentive is the state's production payment program which pays residential customers for the solar power they produce. Cash payments distributed by PSE reached $170,000 this year, a substantial gain from the $86,000 distributed in 2008, when PSE customers had approximately 325 home and small business solar systems," quoting the Pierce County Business Examiner.

"Providence St. Peter Hospital in Olympia has joined the ranks of the top 4 percent of hospitals in the nation by earning Magnet recognition from the American Nurses Credentialing Center.

The Magnet Recognition Program recognizes health care organizations for providing nursing excellence.

Only two other hospitals in Washington State, the University of Washington and Seattle Children's Hospital in Seattle, have received the award.

Providence St. Peter Hospital has been developing its case for achieving Magnet status for the past six years. The work includes a rigorous evaluation of nursing policies, practices and procedures to ensure they are consistent with national benchmark standards. In addition, the process includes a three day site visit from the American Nurses Credentialing Center. The Magnet surveyors interview patients, hospital staff and community partners to assess the quality of nursing care delivered by Providence nurses.

Providence St. Peter Hospital, founded in 1887, is a 390-bed nonprofit hospital serving the South Puget Sound region with comprehensive medical, surgical and behavioral health services," quoting the Pierce County Business Examiner.

"Three firefighters from the Graham Fire and Rescue Department are joining a Pierce County contingent of trauma experts heading to the beleaguered country of Haiti this week. Once in the capital city of Port-au-Prince they will be providing secondary medical care to survivors of the Haitian earthquake.

Paramedic Jared Bonea will accompany firefighters Casey Hill and Troy Flowers, and all three will be in Haiti for seven days. They are part of a weekly rotational system of caregivers being organized to provide medical services in a growing number of emergency field hospitals throughout the country.

In Pierce County, this effort is being coordinated by an agency called the Tacoma Trauma Trust, a coalition of first responders and other trauma professionals, along with a group nurses and clinicians from Tacoma General Hospital.

Bonea told The Dispatch that his team will dispense post-trauma recovery care, such as changing bandages and monitoring wounds, administering medications, and providing post-amputation treatments.

The Graham firefighters will be working in a temporary hospital established in an amusement park on the outskirts of Port-au-Prince , and they will be relieving a Pierce County team currently on site.

In addition to the Graham team, the group is composed of two paramedics from the Tacoma Fire Department, two trauma physician assistants from Tacoma General and one paramedic from the Lacey Fire Department.

A similar effort is being conducted by Doctors without Borders, and Central Pierce firefighter Brett Martinson has just returned from his week-long deployment with that group.

Graham's contingent is traveling first to the Dominican Republic, and then driving by truck to Haiti. Their flights are being offered gratis by Alaska Airlines via their [partnership with] "Angel Flights West," program, a service of the airline's nonprofit division that collects frequent flyer miles from contributing customers and then donates them to rescue groups or bereaved families who cannot otherwise afford to travel for needed medical care or to attend funerals.

Each individual on the team is volunteering their time, and the group will also be traveling with some food and donated medical supplies," quoting The Dispatch of Pierce County & printed here with permission.

Dispatch Reporter Bruce Smith tells the Yelm Community Blog,
"Some Thurston County firefighters are also joining the project to rotate paramedics into the emergency field hospitals for a week at a time."

Introducing "Olympia Beekeepers, Thurston County"

"Meetings are on the second Monday of each month, except July and August, at the Roosevelt Elem. School, at 1416 San Francisco St. The beginner class is from 6:00 to 7:00 o'clock and the meeting from 7:00 to 9:00."

Yelm resident Thomas Mani is Vice President & Yelm resident Marjorie Smith is Secretary.

From Mr. Mani,

Dear friend of the honey bees,

Dear friends of the honeybee

The bee season 2010 is approaching fast.

Times for bees and beekeepers are challenging, not only in the Pacific Northwest. The headlines about the mysterious disappearance of honey bees all over the world made many people aware about the problem.
Unfortunately, those articles do not mention possible solutions other than leaving it to science. However, there is a solution that is simple and very efficient: more beekeepers!

The benefits of having bees are enormous. Not only is their pollination service required for every third bite we eat, but they also pollinate flowers to produce fruits essential to wildlife. Furthermore, they produce honey and bee pollen as nutritious food and natural remedies, as well as propolis and beeswax for many useful applications. In order to do their amazing work the honey bee flies up to three miles, way across your property line. Therefore, keeping bees is a service to the community and not only you will enjoy a bountiful harvest in the garden and orchard but your neighbors as well.

The interest in beekeeping is growing. In Yelm alone over 60 people have become beekeepers in the last two years. Join in!
For all the interested people we are offering a follow up class.
It will be held on Tuesday, February 16th at Gordon's Grange from
7 to 9 pm (cost $10).
Gordon's Grange is situated next to the Gordon's Patio Shop downtown
Yelm (308 Yelm Ave E).
The class will cover topics like basic bee biology, safety equipment, hive equipment, costs, suitable locations, educational material and more. Respond today and send an email to bee4ever@fairpoint.net to let us know that you are coming! We are looking forward to meeting you.

Thomas Mani, Karla Broschinski
Bee Forever Apiary

And, our other local Apiary in Rainier covered here previously: Starry Lane Apiary

Photo courtesy of JZ-Rose website, Copyright © 2001-2008 JZ Knight. Used with permission.

"Valentine's Day is a holiday celebrated on February 14. It is the traditional day on which lovers express their love for each other; sending Valentine's cards, donating to charity or gifting candy. It is very common to present flowers on Valentine's Day. The holiday is named after two among the numerous Early Christian martyrs named Valentine. The day became associated with romantic love in the circle of Geoffrey Chaucer in High Middle Ages, when the tradition of courtly love flourished.

The day is most closely associated with the mutual exchange of love notes in the form of "valentines." Modern Valentine symbols include the heart-shaped outline and the figure of the winged Cupid. Since the 19th century, handwritten notes have largely given way to mass-produced greeting cards. The mid-nineteenth century Valentine's Day trade was a harbinger of further commercialized holidays in the United States to follow. The U.S. Greeting Card Association estimates that approximately one billion valentines are sent each year worldwide, making the day the second largest card-sending holiday of the year behind Christmas. The association estimates that women purchase approximately 85 percent of all valentines," quoting Wikipedia.

This Valentines Day message first appeared on the Yelm Community Blog in 2008.

Stream Team is an education-to-action program for people interested in protecting and enhancing our local streams, rivers, lakes, and Puget Sound.

The Native Plant Salvage Project was initiated in 1994 to involve Thurston County residents in protecting water resources and improving wildlife habitat in Southern Puget Sound.

Stream Team and WSU Extension’s Native Plant Salvage Project will offer a free “Naturescaping for Water and Wildlife” workshop on

Thursday, Feb. 18
6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
Yelm Community Schools Building
107 First Street N.
Yelm.

Workshop participants will learn design ideas to attract more birds, butterflies, amphibians, and beneficial insects to home landscapes while reducing maintenance headaches and protecting water resources. Participants will also receive hardscaping ideas, learn how to minimize lawn areas and discover how to select drought-tolerant plants. A special emphasis will be placed on landscaping on tricky prairie soils. Participants will receive free handouts to help them create more attractive and sustainable landscapes.

The workshop is free, but advanced registration is required.
To register, e-mail nativeplantsalvage@gmail.com or call 867-2166.

Bruce Smith of The Dispatch (Pierce County) filed this report from Eatonville,

"Over 80 Eatonville and Graham residents gathered in separate locations Saturday for an historic occasion: all three 2nd Legislative District elected officials - all Republicans - hosted four joint Town Hall meetings, including ones in Yelm and Orting. Senator Randi Becker and Representatives Jim McCune and Tom Campbell spoke to their constituents on the marathon day.

The mood of the Graham audience was often tense, and focused on two primary themes: taxes and big government...

'There is a gap of about $2.6 billion between our expected revenues and projected expenses,' Tom Campbell said. 'We will close it because the state constitution requires that we do so, but the majority party will only do so by patching it together with new taxes and some spending cuts.'

Campbell also said that a fundamental shift has to take place in Olympia, so that state legislators first accept what revenue is available and then prioritize where that money needs to be spent.

As for new taxes, Campbell foresees that about $800 million or more will be raised in a variety of quirky taxes, such as on candy and snack food.

More troubling though, he said the state is planning to repeal many tax exemptions for businesses, a strategy he says will blunt job growth wihout generating the expected monies. He also anticipates about $1.5 billion being slashed from state funding across the board, including education and health care. Currently, public education gets 42 percent of the state budget, while colleges receive over 10 percent.

Jim McCune spoke to the financial specifics of his Governmental Affairs committee, which is slashing $76 million from eighty agencies, with the biggest piece coming from the Department of Corrections. McCune said the DOC will be closing all or parts of several prisons.

Randi Becker stressed that the state needs to renegotiate salary contracts with its employees, particularly those in unions. Becker specifically called for the abolition of "step" payments, which are guaranteed pay increases based on longevity.

'We need to get down to baseline government,' she said."

Ed. Note: Yelm got perhaps half this audience at the Town Hall held by the same three elected officials on the same day at Rosemont.

A 13-year old & 14-year old were arrested & to be arraigned on a felony "for allegedly sending photo messages of a naked 14-year-old girl to classmates via a cell phone....Thurston County Senior Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Rick Peters said that it is the first case involving alleged “sexting” to cross his desk...
Dealing in depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct is a class C felony, and a conviction carries a requirement to register as a sex offender," quoting The Olympian.

Yes, as an adult, that is true.
The Prosecutor says the law has not caught-up in dealing with this type of thing yet & he has to enforce the laws as written.

Ed. Note: Oh, jeepers!
What is this country coming to in destroying these two teen's lives?
Sex offenders for the rest of their lives!
Come on, can't we do better than this?
What kid hasn't done something similar, or worst!

Dori Monson covered this topic well on KIRO-FM RADIO 97.3 in Seattle on February 2, 2010 in his 12 noon hour.
CLICK HERE to listen.

From The Olympian,
"A proposal to consolidate the City of Yelm and two neighboring rural fire districts into a regional fire authority was leading by just seven votes, Tuesday night’s election returns show.

It was the same proposal voters turned down by a total of 12 votes in August after a recount.

'All we need to do is just stay ahead,' said Rita Hutcheson, chief of Southeast Thurston Fire and EMS.

Once again, voters within the City of Yelm and the Rainier Fire District were supportive, while those in the Yelm Fire District were turning it down by more than 150 votes.

The proposal requires a simple combined majority to pass."

We will know when the vote count is finalized by the Thurston County Auditor.

UPDATE: February 11th:
"Merger of fire districts in Yelm area still passing"
From The Olympian.

Mayor Ron Harding

Yelm Mayor Ron Harding delivered his annual State of the City Address before the Yelm Area Chamber of Commerce Forum luncheon attendees at the Nisqually Valley Moose Lodge today. This year's talk was very distinctive for what was not included and in addition to a reserved tone, lacked the passion, enthusiasm & excitement demonstrated by the Mayor at his 4 previous Annual Addresses (More about this at the end).

The Mayor opened his talk by saying he has a huge sense of pride at what has been accomplished during the last four years of his term in office, and very rightly so. He is most-proud of the Yelm Historic Museum Project, in that building did not cost alot of money & gave the community the opportunity to learn about the history here. He gave what he called a "plug" to get more people to visit.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Mayor Harding said he wanted the focus of his talk today to reflect on past accomplishments benefiting the city since he became Mayor:
- Yelm Ave. West center turn lane, sidewalks, light poles
- Killion Rd. intersection & road upgrade
- Planter strips & trees on road projects
- Stevens St. W.
- Stevens St. NE
- Coats Rd.
- 103rd Ave.
- Longmire Park
- Longmire Park playground equipment
- Yelm Prairie Line Trail
- Remodel of City Hall Council Chambers for offices & public documents access
- Public Safety Building opening
among many others.

- Phase 1 of the Yelm Loop Project will be out-to-bid this month and opened by the end of 2010, giving motorists a choice to access the city via Yelm Ave. West or via the Loop through to Killion Rd.

- The last phase of Longmire Park is happening with installation of flush toilets and a concession stand. Mayor Harding said there will be a huge benefit of having flush toilets for the many kids playing at the Park (the porta-potties had been working just fine for the small expense). In a jab at this writer's NVN Letter to Editor this week about a state grant for $400,000 for park toilets where I asked if these were gold-plated, he said there are "No gold plated toilet seats."

Mayor Harding wrapped up this section by saying, "That is it on projects."

CHALLENGES
1. Yelm Library's Future
Mr. Harding stated 6 or 7 years ago (actually, it was in 2001) Timberland Regional Library (TRL) wanted a larger space here, signing a 10 year agreement for a rented facility that is coming to an end. The City of Yelm will support a library here, however not to the size & stature to which the community has grown accustomed with this one in Prairie Park. The mayor feels there needs to be a balance of money expended and for the community to get a good value, though the city will no longer have TRL's partnership on paying rent at the end of the current agreement. He said he will keep the public informed about the status of several ideas, including extending the current rental lease 3-5 years while an alternative site is searched.

[Ed. Note: As Yelm Library Board Chair 2 years ago, I can report from then that Prairie Park owner Margaret Clapp was not interested in giving Yelm a cut on the current rental past the contract expiration in mid-2012, saying she wanted to lease to other tenants at a fair market rental rate. Now that the economy has tanked, tenants looking for space in Yelm are not plentiful. IMHO, look for a sweetheart deal for the city to extend their rental of a public library in a portion of the current space in Clapp's private building for 3-5 years, while the city says they're going to find a public-building alternative, kicking this football down the road for subsequent Council's, as has been done for the previous 8 years. City Council member John Thompson works for Prairie Park & Council member Mike McGowan works for Yelm's Timberland Library - a marriage made in heaven to insure even a slimmed-down library remains in Prairie Park, regardless of what other alternatives might be presented.]

ECONOMY
The Mayor believes the Yelm economy is better-off than most saying this is not the biggest issue here, that the affects felt are national & statewide. He acknowledged there may be a struggle in getting grants from the state in the future like the Longmire bathrooms (flush toilets), as less dollars are out-there being pursued by more municipalities.

He reminded everyone to vote on the Regional Fire Authority issue on the ballot today & closed this section by saying the economy will get better & spoke of his support & encouraging everyone to "shop locally."

WATER, WATER, WATER
The largest challenge here is water, water, water.
Mayor Harding said folks have tried to use water as an issue to stop growth in the city and that has created challenges, namely this has put the city under the magnifying glass where city officials have to dot the i's & cross the t's.

[Ed. Note: This is VERY telling. To continue to blame others as being anti-growth is a diversion tactic to keep attention off of the fact that the city was challenged in-court to get them to follow the laws. A Thurston County Superior Court judge ruled for the city to do so. So then the Mayor's next comment admits the city was NOT dotting the i's & crossing the t's (saying the city has to "dot the i's & cross the t's" means they have not been doing so). That has nothing to do with anyone being anti-growth! That IS the city's own doing.]

Mr. Harding said that because of an increase in population, per capita water usage has actually decreased, even with a record water use. In 1994, the city pumped 674 acre feet per year (afy) of water and did not exceed that for 12 years until 2006, due to what he described as "our management of the system."
However, in 2009, he said we had to have a water rate increase. Council is constantly thinking of businesses & how this would affect you (Chamber members), hence a lower rate for commercial users, who overall, use less water than residential customers. An automatic rate increase was postponed, but we will have to OK this to continue to have more homes, more customers & increases in services here.
The mayor suggested all watch how they're using water.

We may face a water moratorium, as several folks have asked and are asking today for such. Harding said he received copies of e-mails going out statewide calling for a Yelm moratorium. He said we'll overcome this challenge, yet if a moratorium is put in place, the city will take an immediate hit of 2 million dollars in revenue losses: $1 million from lack of sewer/water hook-ups, $1 million from lack of fees.
"That would be a hardship for us," he said.

Mayor Harding said the city will be working with the Chamber of Commerce for off-premise signage and an electronic reader board here. Before he closed his talk to take questions, Harding said housing availability here is low, a good sign.

So, Harding said without water, the city's rally cry this year is "What can we do?"

Mayor Harding then took questions:
1. A comment acknowledging the cooperation to get Longmire Park done using reclaimed water.
Mayor Harding said, "We still have capacity in our system & will get this water thing solved in my 2nd term."
[Ed. Note: The reclaimed water line to Longmire Park cost $408,800 to add water, sewer and reuse water lines all have separating requirements down the same street, reported here in 2008 & here. That is over & above the $400,000 for the Park's flush toilets.]

2. Port of Olympia rep. wanted to work with city to help on the rail line to expand business here.
Mayor Harding said nothing works without water.

3. When is Yelm's clean-up day?
First part of May.

Mayor Harding closed his annual speech by saying that during President Obama's State of the Union message, the President was interrupted with applause and cheers many times and on so many silly things in a difficult audience. Harding then said, "I did not hear alot of applause here today." And up to that point, there was none. However, when the mayor then did get his applause, no one stood up. HMMM!

This writer noted many things missing from today's talk, compared to Mr. Harding's previous 4 State of the City sessions:
- Only 2 City Council members of the 7 showed up & while the mayor mentioned new Council member Tracey Wood by name, he was not in audience. Busy I guess, with work commitments.

- There was an obvious lack of passion & inspiration in Mayor Harding's tone today, contrasting with previous State's of the City. I know he has his challenges, both personally & professionally, as do we all, yet this was not the usually robust mayor that speaks so upbeat at these functions, in my view.

- Previously, Mayor Harding laid out his goals for the coming year via this annual talk. He did nothing of the kind today, except to say the city is facing some challenges. No projects (once phase 1 of the Yelm Loop & the Longmire flush toilets are completed this year) & no 2010 plans were put forth today.
What about the Mayor's planning for a Recreation/Community Center, his proposal mentioned last year at the State of the City talk?
Not a word...

- The focus today was reveling in the past. Four years ago, this Forum was a platform for the Mayor's vision for the next 4 years of his first term. While Harding said today he'd get the water & library issues solved in his 2nd term, he said nothing as to how or what he envisions is required to do that. Flagrantly & conspicuously absent, he provided no comment, direction or guidance on his plans, intentions or goals for this, the beginning of his 2nd term or about his future 4 years ahead. There was an opportunity today to use his accomplishments as a foundation to present a context for the future that was not taken.

- There were NO hard-hitting questions from Chamber members on anything, quite an embarrassment and from business owners that got a one-two kick in the gut in 2009 from a city water rate hike and B & O tax increase and told today more water rate increases were coming their way.
Where were the questions about the $470,000 lawsuit against the city, the recently surfaced revelations about the Thurston Highlands bankruptcy court decisions, the city seizing a private citizen's water rights or the status the amount of water the city pumped in 2009 vs. allocated acre feet by DOE?
Where was a question about the 1/4 of a million dollars in piling-up legal bills?

- According to this week's NVN about Harding's talk today, "He will discuss the city's budget and revenue and where the city is now."
Not one word on that subject either, except to say the economy here is good!
He told the NVN last week, “I think the state of the city itself is pretty good.”
That's not a very firm answer & required an in-depth report.

- Also, this quotes of his in last week's NVN:
“It’s real difficult for us to continue to invest city resources with this water situation,” Harding said.
Harding did not elaborate on any specifics of the water issue, other than saying what would happen if the city is slapped with a moratorium. He talked all around the issue and clearly laid the blame on others for what he described as the city's water challenges, with no analysis of those challenges.

Bottom Line: The fact that the mayor had to mention there was no applause during his talk spoke volumes, and this was from a friendly audience. As with all five State of the City Addresses now, Mayor Harding has never taken his address directly to the public who elected him to serve and the Greater Yelm Community who pay their share of fire, cemetery, schools & library taxes for those facilities in the City of Yelm. Amazing that the Mayor and/or several politicians just can't be up-front with their constituents. There were no usual acknowledgments of Council members or city staff either. Council member Don Miller was sitting right behind me & I thought atypical of Mr. Harding that Mr. Miller was not recognized nor Council member Thompson, also in attendance. The Mayor's demeanor seemed to be this talk was perfunctory.

This writer left deep in reflection on today's observations!
There was melancholy in the air about this talk today, hence the lack of applause, IMHO.

UPDATE, February 9, 2010: 9PM
At the Yelm City Council session tonight, Mayor Harding told the Council about his State of the City Address today. He did recognize this Council & previous city administrations for their efforts to bring us to where we are today with all of the completed projects, much to the city's benefit. He added that alot is going on behind the scenes most people don't know nor can ascertain from the little articles written, in the context of challenges of the library & water, adding he's been having meetings the last week about the library and with locals.

UPDATE, February 11, 2010, 3pm:
Even the NVN who annually puts this talk on the front-page, relegated this talk to page 3 in their Feb. 12th edition, with a front-page advance article last week heralding this address.

Photo from Jamie Honey's website

LEARN TO LAUGH, LAUGH TO LEARN
Introducing The Fun Pro
"Healing benefits of laughter combined with encouraging neural plasticity by challenging the mind.
Learn out of the box thinking and have fun doing it!
With Jamie Honey's Improv classes."

"Improv is for absolutely everyone! There are so many benefits to stretching your own limits and giving Improv a try...

Science has come out with some great studies about the benefits of laughter. Laughter stimulates the mind to be in the moment, and when we are in the moment, we are more productive, creative, and healthier."

Everyone welcome. For more information,
CLICK HERE

Listen to Jamie's audio message: CLICK HERE

Jamie Honey is offering Improv again in 2010:
classes for ages 8-14, Juniors ages 4-7, & an Adult Improv Party once a month.

Improv (Improvisation)..., Lots of Laughs, Smiles and Joy while training Focus, Creativity, Memory and so much more..., LEARN TO LAUGH...LAUGH TO LEARN
Access the flyer with all the info, dates and age ranges for both Kids classes: CLICK HERE
Check out the calendar for up coming Improv classes and Adult Improv Parties: CLICK HERE

Laugh it up,

Jamie Honey

"An Intimate Evening of Romantic Solo Piano Music at the Blue Bottle"

Former Yelm resident Joe Bongiorno returns home with Special Guest Amy Janelle!

"'Glass of wine & candlelight music'... is the best way to describe the gentle, flowing, melodic music of solo pianist/composer Joe Bongiorno. After abandoning his classical training as a child, Joe returned to the piano is his late 20's and discovered a wonderful channel of peace & emotional release.

His 4th CD "Mesmerized" was just released in Dec. 2009. Critics say, "Its gentle flow casts a magical spell that draws you in and wraps your mind in unspeakable beauty".

Joe's 2007 CD "Somewhere Within" received immediate acclaim and found its way onto radio playlists all over the world. It was nominated for Best Solo Piano CD of 2007 by Whisperings Solo Piano Radio & Kathy Parson's Mainly Piano, as well as becoming a TOP 100 New Age Album at iTunes.

All of Joe's solo piano recordings are self produced at his private Piano Haven Studio, fulfilling his dream of producing world class recordings from his home, whenever the inspiration hits," Mr. Bongiorno told the Yelm Community Blog.
CLICK HERE for Joe's website.

DON'T MISS THIS RARE EVENT FOR YELM! GET YOUR TICKETS TODAY. BRING YOUR SWEETHEART FOR THIS WONDERFUL EVENING!

Saturday, February 13th, 8pm (seating begins at 7:30pm)
Blue Bottle Cafe
309 Yelm Avenue East
Yelm, Washington
360-458-4611
Tickets: $20 general admission
available at the Blue Bottle & BrownPaperTickets.com

SEATING IS LIMITED!

TELL MICHELLE & STAFF AT THE BLUE BOTTLE YOU READ ABOUT JOE BONGIORNO'S CONCERT ON THE YELM COMMUNITY BLOG!

Thumbalina

The Blue Bottle Cafe

"Blue Bottle Cafe is delighted . . . thrilled . . . tickled PINK to be hosting a brand new production of Thumbelina by Acorn & Rose Puppet Theater, this Sunday, February 7, at 2:00 PM. Adults $7.00, Children $5.00, free for tots two and under.

If you missed last week's fabulous NVN story on Jeannie Isaacs, owner of Acorn & Rose Puppet Theater,
CLICK HERE

Blue Bottle Cafe
309 Yelm Avenue East
Yelm, Washington
360-458-4611

TELL MICHELLE & STAFF AT THE BLUE BOTTLE YOU READ ABOUT THUMBELINA ON THE YELM COMMUNITY BLOG!

Senator Randi Becker and Reps. Tom Campbell & Jim McCune will be traveling throughout the 2nd Legislative District on Saturday, February 6, 2010 holding Town Hall Meetings with a legislative update:

Yelm Town Hall
9:00 – 10:00 am
Rosemont Assisted Living Center
215 Killion Rd NW
Yelm, WA 98597

Senator Randi Becker
Photo from Senator Becker's Legislative website

Representative Tom Campbell
Photo from Representative Campbell's official website

This story about Rep. Campbell's Bill that would further track cold medicines was in yesterday's Olympian.


Representative Jim McCune
Photo from Representative McCune's Legislative website

Christian Hill of The Olympian filed this update on what was & what has now become the Thurston Highlands debacle:

"Two partners are wrestling for control of what is thought to be the largest property in Thurston County caught in the collapse of the housing market, court records show.

A hearing before a federal bankruptcy judge in March could be key to the fate of Thurston Highlands, a 1,250-acre property in Yelm...

According to court records associated with the bankruptcy case:

Thurston Highland Associates LLC (THA) owns the property and filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on June 4, the eve of a foreclosure sale. Local developer Steve Chamberlain manages the limited liability company.

THE BEGINNING

Starting in 2005, Frontier Bank loaned $12 million to THA to develop the property. The bank began foreclosure proceedings after the property owner defaulted on the loan in September 2008.

The loan fell into default after THA was unable to secure refinancing. Frontier Bank, hit hard by the housing collapse, conditioned any further lending on an additional guarantee by THA’s minority owner, Dr. Paul Liao. He refused. Chamberlain had guaranteed the original loans.

With the auction approaching, DDD Washington LLC, formed by Liao and his son, Darwin Liao, purchased the loan from the bank. The bankruptcy filing stopped the auction.

Chamberlain indirectly owns 51 percent of THA through another limited liability company. Paul Liao holds a 29 percent interest in the limited liability company, and his son holds the rest.

Under Chapter 11 bankruptcy, Chamberlain continues to manage the property under court supervision as he works to settle debts and restructure the business to move the development project forward with creditors’ approval.

Meanwhile, DDD Washington is seeking to foreclose on the property and likely would take over its ownership. The limited liability company is owed nearly $13 million, including interest and late fees, on the purchased bank notes secured by the property. The property is THA’s sole asset.

A ruling by a federal bankruptcy judge in Tacoma on two motions last week did little to determine the outcome.

U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Paul Snyder denied THA’s request to borrow $3 million to help realize its reorganization plan. He also continued a hearing until March 18 on DDD Washington’s request to allow the foreclosure sale to proceed...

In addition, Snyder wrote, he wasn’t persuaded that the loan proceeds would make the property more marketable, because no money would be used to secure water rights to serve the proposed development. THA purchased a golf course in part to secure those rights, but it needs to pay another $1 million to the seller to gain the authority to transfer them to the city of Yelm. The city would need approval by the state Department of Ecology to use them. ...

THA said in court records that it has secured preliminary approval of the conceptual master site plan, but Grant Beck, the city’s community development director, said that’s simply not true. He said his department is awaiting revisions to the plan based on an environmental impact statement finalized in November 2008. THA also owes the city $121,500 for staff time working on the environmental assessment.

'We won’t do anything until we get paid and until we see a revised conceptual plan,' Beck said.

Beck said the city was aware of the discrepancy in the court record, but didn’t seek to correct it because 'we don’t have a dog in the fight.'"

EXCUSE ME -- THE CITY DOESN'T "HAVE A DOG IN THE FIGHT???"
OH NO?
WHAT ABOUT ALL OF THE UNPAID BACK TAXES, FEES, & PRO-RATA SHARE OF A WATER STUDY OWED TO THE CITY ON THE PROPERTY?
HELLO, ANYONE HOME OVER THERE AT CITY HALL?

THE CITY'S NUMBER ONE FIDUCIARY RESPONSIBILITY IS TO PROTECT THE PUBLIC'S WELFARE & ASSETS!

WHERE IS THIS CITY LOOKING OUT FOR THE PUBLIC'S INTEREST IN NOT FILING LIENS TO GET IN LINE TO COLLECT THE BACK TAXES, FEES & PRO-RATA WATER STUDY SHARE FOR THEIR TAXPAYERS???

Dear Friend,

Doug McCrea of McCrea Cellars, Margaret and Stefan Elie, of Elie Jewelry, Merle Hom of Bella Housa, Giorda Elie of Giorda E., Kristi Duke and Lela Cross of Eclectic Toss and Kellie Petersen of Gordon’s Garden Center would like to invite you to join us for an evening of great joy as we raise funds to help with relief efforts in Haiti.
Auction Soiree
When: Friday, February 5, 2010
Time: 6:30 to 8:30 pm
Where: Bella Housa Village Clubhouse
14950 – 91St. Ave SE in Yelm
(Between Mountain View and Burnett Rd SE)

Admission: $25 per person (we’ll trade you for a chance to win a door prize from Gordon’s Garden Center!)

Enjoy amazing wine from McCrea Cellars and delectable delights from Eclectic Toss as you bid on our marvelous silent auction items and raise your paddle during our live auction called by the Schorno auction team, Cindy Schorno and world champion auctioneer Daniel Schorno.
(We also have some other fun ways you can give to the cause!)

We have selected Doctors without Borders as our recipient organization. Charlie Kunzer, of Doctors without Borders reports, “The extent of immediate needs from the devastation in Haiti is still coming into focus, and the picture is bleak. There is a huge need for essential surgical care for the quake victims: open fractures, deep wounds, crush injuries, amputations. DWB and other groups are rushing to scale up capacity to bring as much assistance as needed.”

Please say you will come! You can R.S.V.P. to heartsforhaiti2010@gmail.com

If you cannot attend, but would still like to contribute, you can send a check payable to:
Doctors w/o Borders: Emergency Relief Fund
c/o Kellie Petersen
Gordon’s Garden Center
PO Box 447
Yelm, WA. 98597

Thank you for being the generous, caring individual we have always known you to be!

Sincerely,

Doug McCrea, McCrea Cellars Margaret & Stefan, Elie Jewelry

Kristi Duke & Lela Cross, Eclectic Toss Giorda Elie, Giorda E.

Kellie Petersen, Gordon’s Garden Center Merle Hom, Bella Housa

WON'T YOU SEND ANYTHING THAT YOU CAN, EVEN IF YOU CAN'T ATTEND?

Starry Lane Apiary's focus is on honeybee health. We have developed a nutritional supplement using plant extracts (patent pending) to enhance the immune system of the honeybee, so she is better equipped to deal with disease and pest infestations. Our product shows promising results and we plan to introduce it to the beekeeping world in Fall 2010.

We work with a variety of honeybee races and we plan this Spring to raise queens on the supplement because a nutritionally healthy queen means a healthy colony.

To fund our research, we sell our raw strained honey and have handcrafted creams and soaps. You can purchase our creams at the Yelm Food Coop or contact us directly at Legend732@Yahoo.com for our products. Starting in May, we will be selling our products at the Tumwater Farmer's Market.

Starry Lane Apiary,
Marisha & Judy

TELL STARRY LANE APIARY YOU READ ABOUT THEM ON THE YELM COMMUNITY BLOG!